A Hippocratic Oath
by Kaosinorder
Summary: Princeton-Plansboro has an important visitor, and Dr Gregory House gains the most difficult case of his career. Am doing some changes to earlier chapters, and finally getting round to adding new ones.
1. An Unexpected Visitor

Chapter 1

House woke up and rubbed his temple, the headache caused by the constant pain within his leg, and the Vicodin only dulling the pain slightly, but he coped for the most part. He rolled over and saw that the clock was reading 06:30, he thought, 'I can get up and limp into work on time; go back to sleep or get up and watch TV.' He chose the last option. He limped over to the TV and turned it on; the sound of it tore through his head causing an excruciating, sudden pain, as a result of the headache, which the nightly alcohol didn't help.

House knew he could go days without a patient but little did he know that today would provide him with the most interesting case to date, and more than likely for the rest of his life. Cameron, Chase and Foreman had all arrived before eight to start promptly when the hour struck; but House was never prompt so when they didn't have a case they just sat round sorting out patient files. The only thing that made their promptness and House's tardiness worse was the visitor that Cuddy had visiting the hospital that day.

Chase, Cameron &Foreman had arrived at Princeton-Plainsboro before eight o'clock so that they could all start promptly, but they all knew House wouldn't be in until later; much later. And the only thing that was really bad about that today was that Cuddy had an incredibly important visitor touring the hospital that day, and they knew that he wanted to meet all the senior members of staff, which included House. The three decided to see this mysterious visitor as they knew that they would have nothing to do for a number of hours. They made their way down to the clinic to stand at the nurses' station and watch Cuddy's office for a time. They saw her look directly at them, one at a time, and then look back at the man.

Cuddy noticed them over the shoulder of the man, but they weren't the important object of that moment; the man seemed to draw attention from all the people in the clinic, especially during his entrance. Before he had entered the clinic people had mentioned hearing a strange, scraping sound, of keys against the wire of a piano. But as he had approached the double doors that led in he withdrew an object from the inside left breast pocket of his pinstripe suit, pointed it at the door and they swung open, and the device was hidden as quickly as it had been drawn. But now even when he was just standing there he seemed to command the very air around him, but looked nothing short of ordinary.

"So Mister- I'm sorry I didn't catch your name." What she had actually realised was that he had never given his name, not in his message or now.

"It's Smith, John Smith."

"Mr Smith-"

"Please, call me John"

"John," she smiled as she said his name, as though this unbelievable name was something that provided a feeling of comfort and reassurance, "May I ask why you are visiting, you never mentioned in your message, which I must say was very short notice." Her eyes seemed to flicker a sense of passion towards this John Smith, and she though "My God, am I flirting with him?"

"Yes," had left John's almost in response to Cuddy's thought, and the smile on his face seemed to join that, "I do owe you a bit of an explanation, I guess"

Until that moment it hadn't passed into Cuddy's mind that he spoke with a British accent, but that just seemed to increase his standing in her eyes.

"Doctor Cuddy, I must truthfully tell you that I'm here to meet with some of the greatest doctors in the U.S."

"Please, you ask me to call you John, I ask you to call me Lisa."

"Well Lisa, like I said I want to meet some great doctors, like myself."

"You're a Doctor, John?"

"Well I suppose it is more of an honourable title, as I don't actually practise medicine. It's more a Doctor of everything."

Cuddy was truly intrigued by the man stood in front of her, but her thoughts were soon interrupted.

"So shall we set off? This is a large hospital, and I wish to view it all. But I suppose time is a bit of a luxury for me." This last sentence was almost said to himself.

"Of course, if you want to follow me."

"It would be my utmost pleasure my dear."


	2. A Tour Takes Place

**Chapter 2: A Tour Takes Place**

A Hippocratic Oath

Chapter 2

Wilson knew that Cuddy had a visitor today, after all news travelled fast, no matter what kind. He also knew that House wasn't in, but that wasn't as much of a surprise; it wasn't a surprise at all, in fact. It wasn't long into the day before there was a knock at the door and Cuddy walked in with the visitor.

"Doctor Wilson, this is John Smith. Doctor Smith, this is Doctor James Wilson, one of the hospital's best oncologists." John Smith offered Wilson his hand, which he shook warmly.

"Doctor Wilson, I have heard a lot about you, well read is the more accurate term," Smith said this with a smile on his face, unlike most of the visitors the hospital had. "Doctor Cuddy has been singing your praises all the way here, and I can tell you that she has a marvellous voice." This time the smile changed into one of cheekiness, but only for a flash. Before Cuddy could think of a response to this, other than blushing that was, Wilson spoke.

"Well Doctor Smith, I'm sure that whatever Doctor Cuddy here has said, is an over exaggeration. So why, if I can ask, are you visiting?"

"I am spending some time in the country, and I thought I would tour some hospitals. Now there is one other Doctor that I really wanted to meet, a Doctor House. Is he in today?"

Cuddy broke in here-

"House will be in, but not till later, but I can introduce you to his team."

"Doctor Wilson, it has been a pleasure to meet you, and I hope to have the pleasure again soon."

Wilson smiled and nodded at the man as he turned to leave, now being followed by Cuddy instead of her taking the lead. That made Wilson chuckle to himself, but the fact that House would keep John Smith waiting worried him for some reason.

House pulled himself up from the couch, and went to get dressed. He knew that he would have to get it over with sooner or later today, besides this way he could stare at Cuddy's ass for a couple of extra hours. The only problem was the nagging she would do about him not doing clinic, but oh well. He was ready after about a half hour and limped his way to the sidewalk outside.

Waiting for him there was the CBR1000RR in Repsol colours, that smug smile that occasionally appeared on his face was present. He mounted the bike, turned the key, causing the engine to turn over, and making the bike roar with power; the smile never disappeared at any point throughout his ride to the hospital.

Cuddy had introduced Smith to House's team, and they had got on well, as he had done with everyone in the hospital. It wasn't just them being polite it was genuine warmth they felt for him. Cameron seemed to take a particular shine to Smith; Foreman managed to get into an intelligent conversation with him; and Chase and Smith spoke of Australia, as Smith was a traveller and had been around the world a number of times. After a while Cuddy was paged and had to disappear for a while.

"I'm sorry John, I have to run," she turned to Cameron, Chase and Foreman "Maybe you can look after Doctor Smith for a while."

"Of course Doctor Cuddy, it would be our pleasure." Cameron replied with a smile, "So what are you a doctor of, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Not at all my dear, a doctor of Everything might be the best description." He responded smiling, and causing everything to develop a capital E.

House walked through the doors of the hospital and bumped into Cuddy, which wasn't going to go well.

"House, you're late. Hurry up and get to your office, there's an important visitor in there."

"You left a visitor in my office, what are you stupid or something? I have important things to do, that don't include babysitting a visitor." House enjoyed this but kept a slight look of contempt on his face as he said it.

"Watching your porn does not count as important things." Cuddy said this with her back to him as she got something from the desk in front of them. "Now get to your office, or I'll have you do clinic."

"Fine, I'm going, but I do it under protest."

"Fine by me."

House walked away from her but she called after him,

"House, be nice to the guy."

House didn't turn round to acknowledge it, but thought 'So it's a man is it?' and carried on with a smile on his face, one that said he knew how to deal with him already.

********************************END OF CHAPTER 2***************************


	3. A Truth Revealed

**Chapter 3: A Truth Revealed**

Note: I DO NOT own or represent any person who owns the rights to House M.D. or Doctor Who

Chapter 3

House opened the door to his office and look round, but he didn't see the visitor that Cuddy had told him about. He had started to move towards his desk when he heard a voice, a voice with an English accent say:

"Doctor House, I've been expecting you," at which point House's chair swivelled around to reveal the source of the voice, a smiling, almost idiotic looking man, in House's opinion that is. He rose and offered House his hand, "I'm John Smith."

House ignored Smith's hand and walked round the desk so he was standing next to him, "You've been sitting in my chair, and if you would move so I can sit down myself."

"I do apologise, but I thought you would have had enough of a rest on your motorbike," Smith said with a smile as he stepped out of the way, "But I am curious about one thing. Why haven't you asked me why I'm here, your team has, your boss and your colleagues have, so why not you?"

"Frankly, _John Smith_, I don't give a damn. I'm not thinking to myself 'Of all the hospitals, in all the towns, in all the world, why has he come to this one.' I truly don't care why you're here, but I do care that you've been in my office on your own for so long."

"Ah, Gone with the Wind, and Casablanca, you've been watching old films through the night, and judging by the time you got in you have also been drinking, fairly heavily, but then that is a common occupation for you isn't it."

House almost smiled at this, he knew that he would have been wrong if he had treated this man how he had intended to; He decided to do it anyway.

"Ok then Mister Smith, why are you here?" He chose to humour the man, and get that over with.

"I am here, Doctor House, because I need your help. And I shan't take no for an answer. Oh and it's Doctor, not Mister." Smith was incredibly firm in his stance and resolute in his voice.

Cuddy was working to check up on John Smith, to find out everything she could about him; she rang hospitals all over the world but found no trace of the man. She tried medical records but again found no record that would match him. Eventually she had to give up the search but was still curious about Smith.

She left her office and started on her way to House's office to see how the pair was getting on. She walked over to the elevator but was briefly detained in order to sign a request for the usage of an experimental drug.

She arrived outside the office to see the two talking to each other; not in a way of warmth but in a manner of clinical fact; and she knew that that was how House enjoyed it.

"_Mister_ Smith, tell me why I should help you?"

"Because, Doctor House, I know that you only take on cases that interest you, and I can promise you that this one will be interesting." Smith replied with an impossible mixture of sorrow and joy in his face. "And I need help, and I believe that only you can provide it."

Cuddy stood in the doorway listening to this exchange for a few minutes before making her presence known.

"Doctor Smith, may I ask you something?" Smith looked round at her with a slight look of surprise, whilst House just sighed with exasperation.

"Go ahead Doctor Cuddy. I have no need to hide anything from you."

"Well that makes me wonder, because you didn't tell me that you needed help, you told me you wanted to meet some of the best doctors. Now who are you really? You say you're a doctor yourself but I can't find a single record of you anywhere, nothing medical, professional or anything else." Smith reacted with the look of a man who had been caught out, which he had been in truth.

"Okay, I'll explain, you're Doctor Cuddy; I didn't tell you my true intentions because they aren't important, that's the short version. And my name isn't John Smith." House interrupted him here.

"Well that was evident; I mean what sort of sadistic parents would name their child John Smith." 'Smith' looked at House with a pained look.

"My name is, well call me The Doctor, and I _am_ a doctor of sorts and did say that I didn't practise medicine, so that part was true, but I never revealed my true intentions for a reason." Cuddy didn't look best pleased and was about to respond when;

"So your true intention was just to get help. Hah," House scoffed "If that was it why didn't you just visit the clinic."

"I didn't visit the clinic because I needed your help House. You see I'm dying."

*********************************END OF CHAPTER 3**************************


	4. A History Missing

**Chapter 4: A History Missing**

Chapter 4

"Yes well, _Doctor_," He scorned the word. "Millions of people die a day, but I don't help them. I..." The Doctor cut in here.

"Not millions, hundreds of thousands," he said melancholically, "One hundred and forty-six thousand as an average, but you're correct, you don't help them. Even the ones you do save you don't help, you only help yourself. You take cases that interest you for just that reason, they interest you." Anger was rising in his voice. "You don't care about anyone else except yourself." The Doctor was almost physically fuming. "You see no beauty in human life, you see no one as your equal, but as your inferiors. You ignore the needs of others for your own wants, you are completely unsympathetic to others and show no kindness to anyone," His voice started to soften, "And that is why you're the only person who can help me." He almost seemed to sadden at this fact.

House's face remained unchanged for a minute, with an incredibly sarcastic demeanour, and then he spoke;

"Just because you make a speech, and get a little annoyed, you think I'll help you. Well you're wrong, not about me, you hit that nail right on the head, but it's your reason that is wrong, it's not the fact that I'm uncaring, it's the fact you can't help yourself. I've met your sort before, you think that you know all about others, but you know nothing about yourself." Here he turned to Cuddy, "Get him out of my office and get him admitted." He turned back, "I'm not going to take your case because of your speech, I'm doing it because, and listen to this part, this way I get to have you stabbed with needles." He turned around with a smug grin on his face a limped out.

The Doctor looked out of the window and saw it raining; he smiled; he couldn't remember the last time he just watched it rain, or snow for that matter, or at least real snow. As his mind started to wander the door to his room slid open and a woman stood there; her shoulder length hair gently moved from the breeze coming in the open window. She smiled and spoke;

"Hello again." The Doctor said as Doctor Cameron entered the room.

She walked forward and shook the hand the Doctor offered as she said this, "I need you to answer a few questions about your personal history." The Doctor looked at her; a smile broke on one side of his mouth.

"I don't wish to be rude, but I would prefer for Doctor House to take my history if it's at all possible." She performed a sharp intake of breath.

"Doctor House is busy, so what's your name, other than John Smith?"

"The Doctor. Now I really need Doctor House to do this."

"House is incredibly busy. Doctor Who?"

"Just the Doctor but I have been called that before as well," he said jovially, "now I shan't offer you any more help or answer any questions until Doctor House is asking. Sorry." He said this with an apologetic smile as she wrote the name 'John Smith (The Doctor)' on the form.

"Okay then 'Doctor', where are you from?" The question was met with a warm smiled silence; she sighed, turned away and walked out.

As the door opened House looked up;

"Not much of a history then?" he asked with a sarcastic smile on his face which was answered with a glare then;

"He refuses to talk unless it's to you. I told him you were busy but he was adamant."

"What like 'Stand and Deliver, Doctor House or My Life'?" The team look at him with misunderstanding, "What it's Adam Ant and you said he was adamant." Stony silence was all that met it. "Tough Crowd," he mentioned to himself, "But fine I shall visit the patient as you seem unable to do your job. I don't suppose you got a blood sample did you?" She just glared at him.

"No, I was a _little_ busy with being politely ignored."

"And that's worse than being rudely ignored?" The look he got from her showed that somehow it was.

House didn't say anything till he had sat down in the chair next to the bed;

"So I understand that you're unwilling to co-operate, fine, I don't care, it's not me that needs treating." He leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Don't you want to know what happened to me?"

"Not really but somehow I have a feeling you're going to tell me."

"Yup I am, so you might as well get comfortable."

"I intend to." And with this he swallowed a couple of Vicodin.


	5. A Story Told

Chapter 5 - A Story Told

House squirmed around in the chair until he was comfortable, a sight that not many have seen, as he usually did not like to spend too long in any one person's company, particularly a patient's, but this patient seemed to change him somehow, as though he was actually feeling sympathetic. House shook the feeling off and berated the patient;

"Are you going to begin at any point today or are you just going to lie there?"

"I was just letting you get comfy, maybe it's just my accommodating _British_ personality." The Doctor chuckled as he said this, leaving House looking at him as though he was inferior, but that was how he always looked at people. It was the look that the Doctor returned that threw House, it was a look of idolisation, but House could truly see no viable reason for it, not that House needed a reason to be idolised. "But as I was saying," he said, almost shaking himself, "about a week ago I was travelling when I was caught in the middle of a skirmish, both sides had weapons."

Here House interrupted saying, "What sort of weapons? Guns, knives, what?"

"Guns… of sorts, but these guns' ammo was far different from any ordinary bullet."

"What was it then, a magical, fantastic, invisible bullet?" House butted in sarcastically.

"How do I describe it? Well first I suppose I should allow you to check something. I can see you don't have a stethoscope on you, but if you check the inside left breast pocket of my coat you'll find one." He paused while House found it, "Now, check my heart." He paused again to allow House to do this. As House did this he looked questioningly at the Doctor, but he only smiled back.

"Your heart seems fine, perhaps a little echo, but nothing abnormal. Unlike _you_." House said, as he removed the stethoscope.

The smile still present, if a little bit wan now, the Doctor said, "Now check the other side of my chest."

As House limped to the other side of the bed, in order to allow him easier access to the Doctor's other side. He stood next to him and replaced the stethoscope to his ears; the Doctor watched him with a mischievous look; he placed the other end on his chest and after a second checked the other side and the closest side again and then almost jumped back.

He looked into the Doctor's eyes; House with a shocked, nearly frightened look, the Doctor with a look of satisfaction.

"Now, allow me to explain, I am not human, as you may have just guessed. I am an alien, but more than that I am a Time Lord; to be more specific, the last of the Time Lords. But that is not important…"

Here House cut in, "Not important, you must be joking, you have two hearts. TWO HEARTS."

"Yes I do, but anyway, the weapons I mentioned. These weapons were based upon twenty-first century pathology of the human race." Now muttering to himself, "You humans are always getting involved somehow or another." He spoke to House again, "To cut this short, I have been infected by a disease of some sort, and, unfortunately, it is killing me, not just killing this body."

"What do you mean killing this body?"

"Time Lords have an ability to regenerate their entire bodies if they're in danger of dying." He said as if it were everyday fact.

"Every cell, every molecule, alive with a burst of energy;" he paused and then mused whisperedly to himself, "Ironic that I have to die each time it happens."

House looked at him in almost disbelief; had he not heard that beating of two hearts he would have thought this man entirely insane.

"I'm sorry, if you can just _regenerate_, why not do it now?"

"I can't whatever it is; whatever this pathogen is; it's stripped away my body's ability to regenerate."

"Okay then..." House said slowly, "How am I meant to be able to help?"

"That's a very good question. If I had enough time, I would be able to pinpoint what the disease is and find a cure; as it is, I don't and so I have need of the greatest doctor of the 21st century, you."

"Yes but you haven't explained how I'll be able to help."

"I said the weapon was based on 21st century pathology, remember; I need you to find out which one. But there is a limitation; you can't perform any test here in the hospital. If someone finds blood in the lab that matched no known living creature on Earth, things are going to get very strange around here."

"Believe me things already have."


End file.
